The 2025 college football season is officially here!
After a trip to the College Football Playoffs in 2024 and a highly talked-about offseason, the Tennessee Volunteers are set to kick off their 2025 campaign in a non-conference matchup against the Syracuse Orange on Saturday afternoon in Atlanta, GA.
Here’s a look at everything you need to know for this Saturday’s neutral-site kickoff game between No. 24 Tennessee and Syracuse:
Tennessee Football Preview: Vols Clash With Syracuse In a Battle of the Orange For the Season Opener
How to Watch – No. 24 Tennessee Volunteers (0-0) vs Syracuse Orange (0-0) – Aflac Kickoff Game
- Date: Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025
- Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium – Atlanta, GA
- Start Time: 11:00 a.m. CT/Noon ET
- TV: ABC
- Online Streaming:
- Radio (Knoxville): Vol Network (FM 107.7 in Knoxville)/The Vol Network App
- Radio (Sirius): Sirius XM Channel 81
- Television Crew: Bob Wischusen (PxP), Louis Riddick (analyst), Kris Budden (sideline reporter)
Gameday Timeline
SEC Nation: 10 a.m. to Noon in The International Plaza
Tennessee Team Walk: “Tennessee’s official team walk into the stadium will begin at The Home Depot Backyard area located on the east side of the stadium at approximately 9:40 a.m.,” according to UT Sports.
Betting Odds
| TN Sportsbook | Bonus Offer | Bonus Link |
|---|---|---|
| BetMGM | Bet $5, Get $158 in bonus bets | Claim Bonus — Use Code ROCKYBET |
| FanDuel | Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets Guaranteed | Claim Bonus |
| Caesars Sportsbook | Get a first bet on Caesars of up to $1,000 | Claim Bonus — Use Code STARTGET |
Here’s where you can find the latest promo codes and bonuses in the state of Tennessee.
Previous Matchups
Tennessee and Syracuse have matched up three times on the gridiron. The Volunteers have won all three games, with the last meeting taking place in 2001. The first game and lone neutral site matchup took place all the way back in 1966. Tennessee will look to stay undefeated against Syracuse in the game on Saturday.
Last Three Games:
- Dec. 31, 1966 – Tennessee def. Syracuse 18-12 (Jacksonville, FL)
- Sep. 5, 1998 – Tennessee def. Syracuse 34-33 (Syracuse, NY)
- Sep. 1, 2001 – Tennessee def. Syracuse 33-9 (Knoxville, TN)
More from RTI: Former Tennessee Football Coach, Multiple Players Help USF Upset Ranked Team
Projected Impact Players
Tennessee:
- Passing: QB Joey Aguilar
- Rushing: RB DeSean Bishop/RB Star Thomas/RB Peyton Lewis
- Receiving: WR Mike Matthews/WR Chris Brazzell/TE Miles Kitselman
- Freshman: OT David Sanders Jr.
Syracuse:
- Passing: QB Steve Angeli
- Rushing: RB Yasin Willis/RB Will Nixon
- Receiving: WR Johntay Cook/WR Justus Ross-Simmons/WR Darrell Gill Jr.
- Freshman: DB/WR Demetres Samuel Jr.
Tennessee Uniform
classic threads for Atlanta
⬜️🟧⬜️@DICKS | #GBO 🍊 pic.twitter.com/GDtvzS5z7r
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) August 28, 2025
